Ep 346: Arrested Development & American Exceptionalism

You might remember, for a long time we were talking about a new Arrested Development season or movie or something. And then one was made. And then we didn’t talk about it for ages. And then we said we’d discuss it but we didn’t.

Well, WE FINALLY DO!

Also, how much do you know about American exceptionalism? You’re about to know a whole lot more; especially with respect to TV shows post September 11 2001.

And for people who stay all the way to the end, there’s a special surprise!

13 Comments

Arrested Development’s fourth season was hilarious from the first episode. I don’t understand Brett and Courtney are talking about when you say the first three (or seven, whatever) episodes are a difficult slog.

It’s funny on the first viewing, it’s even funnier on the second viewing, and slightly more funny than that on the third viewing. And yes, Courtney, you need to watch it to the end.

Eight years is a really, really long time to do one thing. The Beatles couldn’t even keep that up without breaking up fifty times. The Simpsons started, became great and went crap in the space of eight years.

Since Boxcutters began, we’ve had four Prime Ministers, three Doctors and the entirety of 30 Rock. Babies born after Boxcutters began are now old enough to know what they want to do with their life. Some of those children have six siblings, all born since Boxcutters began. Many of those siblings have moved to a suburb with ‘Springs’ in the title, which didn’t even exist when Boxcutters began. And I bet there’s at least one who has never known a life without Josh Kinal hosting Boxcutters.

Thanks, Josh. Thanks for an incredible range of views and coverage that forever changed the entertainment I consume. The show is in top hands, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.

This is the danger that comes with putting Big News at the end of an interesting episode. I was all ready to comment on the interesting ideas that Courteney (Sorry if I mis-spelled that, I seem to have a bit of a mental block about that extra ‘e’) brought up; it’s interesting to watch the development of American exceptionalism in shows that began in the late 90s but continued long after 9/11- Stargate SG-1 springs to mind as an example of ouside vs. inside threats- in the final seasons of Stargate, the main enemy was the Ori, a quasi-Christian mediaeval religious cult determined to convert or destroy all other peoples on all other worlds.You can contrast that with earlier seasons- after they’d dealth with the Goa’uld, the next ‘big bads’ were all internal- corruption within the CIA and the US military.
Gee, that’s not subtle at all, now that I think about it. Shame on 9 year old me for not picking up on this sooner!

Like I said, I came ready to talk about that, when I was blindsided by the news that the Big J- no not that BIg J- the other Big J- was leaving the show. Josh, we’re all really grateful for what you and Brett (and long-ago Ross) built here, lo those 8 years ago. God, was the internet even a thing in 2005?
Anyway, Josh, thanks for all you’ve done. I’ll be sad to see you go, but I’m sure that Brett’s hands are capable, and the team you’ve assembled over the years is second to none.
Way to go, man. Good luck on whatever falls your way- I’m sure you’ll be brilliant at it.

Super sad news about Josh moving on but 8 years is a massive innings! Thanks for everything you’ve done for the show and our ears, Josh. I’m glad we can still hear you on The Nudge, which is another brilliant podcast.

While no more Josh is sad, I’m looking forward to Brett’s rebooted Boxcutters!